


Tangled in Sleep

by ani725



Category: Sleeping Beauty (1959), Tangled (2010)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Danger, F/F, Gen, Slash, femmeslash
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-03-07
Updated: 2017-01-08
Packaged: 2018-01-14 21:58:08
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,778
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1280242
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ani725/pseuds/ani725
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What if Flynn Rider wasn't the one that found Rapunzel up in her tower, but a young girl named Briar Rose? Rapunzel inexplicably finds herself drawn to the strange girl - the first person she's ever met. The two gather up the courage to go out and find the wonders of the world as well as the romance blooming between them.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. First Meeting

**Author's Note:**

> I don't own Tangled or Sleeping Beauty.
> 
> I'm not really sure how this popped into my head, but I'm excited for it. I need to get around to writing more for it though. I will at some point cause I do know how I want this story to go (mostly). Enjoy and I hope you stay tuned for more!

Rapunzel stood at the window looking out over the trees. The sky was bright and the air fresh. The same as it was everyday. She sighed and looked at her only friend, Pascal. "Do you think Mother will finally let me go out into the world?"  
He made a few squeaking noises giving his answer.  
She looked at him sternly, "You know its not nice to call her names."  
He rolled his eyes and then stopped and darted onto the sill of the window. An unknown voice came from below.  
"I've lived in these woods my whole life, how did I get lost...and where did this tower come from?"  
Rapunzel ducked down and peeked out the window staying low so that she wouldn't be seen. "Who is that?"  
He gave her a look saying, "How should I know?"  
She looked down again at the source of the voice. Below on the ground she'd never touched before stood a tall, thin blonde girl. She couldn't make out much about the woman but she knew that she must be very beautiful because of how she carried herself. Her Mother walked the same way after Rapunzel sang to her.  
"Oh look, there's a doorway here." the girl spoke and a few birds chirped in response.  
Rapunzel looked at Pascal, confusion showing in her eyes. "A door?" she whispered. "Since when is there a door?"  
Pascal shrugged his shoulders.  
A sound came from behind the bookcase. Rapunzel shoved the bookcase out of the way, an amazing feat since it was twice her size and filled with books. Behind it stood a door she'd never known was there. She grabbed the frying pan from the counter top took a deep breath as the door opened.  
"I wonder what's in here..." The girl leaned around the door and spotted Rapunzel. "Oh hello." she said, pushing the door open, obviously excited now.  
"Stay back!" Rapunzel told her, holding the frying pan threateningly.  
"Don't worry!" The girl held her hands out in front of her. "I'm not going to hurt you." She chuckled a little. "I can't believe I've finally met someone else."  
Rapunzel lowered the pan and looked at her, a mixture of confusion and curiosity showing on her face. "What do you mean?"  
The girl smiled at her. "I've never met anyone else, outside of the women that raised me."  
Rapunzel smiled back. "You know something? I've never met anyone other than my Mother." she looked at the girl and set the frying pan down causing Pascal to make a squeak in worry. "I'm Rapunzel."  
The girl smiled. "I'm Briar Rose."  
"How did you get in here?" Rapunzel asked her curiously.  
Briar Rose motioned behind her down the stairs. "There was a door at the base of the tower, slightly blocked off by some bricks and vines. I have a knack for finding hidden doorways though. Comes from living with women who squirrel everything away in whatever nook and cranny they can find." she chuckled, some long ago memory from her childhood flashing to the front of her mind.  
"So how did you find the tower? Mother told me it was hidden." Rapunzel drew closer to the girl staring at her eyes. Before Briar Rose could answer her, she continued. "You have the most beautiful eyes." She gasped and put her hand over her mouth, face flushing with embarrassment and took a step back, nearly falling over her hair.  
A light blush spread over Briar Rose's face at the compliment. "Thank you." She had been so preoccupied with the girl in front of her that she hadn't even noticed the train of blonde hair strung around the room. "Oh my. You're hair is so long." Seeing part of it hanging from the ceiling right near her, she reached her hand out to touch it and thinking twice before doing so, looked over at Rapunzel.  
She smiled shyly and told her, "Go ahead."  
Her hand wove in between the strands of the silky locks. "I've never felt anything so soft before. How long is it?"  
"About 70 feet. Mother said she didn't ever want me to cut my hair, so I never have."  
"Where is your mother?" she asked curiously.  
"Away at the moment. My birthday is coming up in a few days and she's out getting the supplies for new paints. I love painting. Let me show you something." Excitedly, she made her way over and around her hair to the tall curtain along the wall. Moving it to the side a beautiful painting of the night sky appeared. Lights floated all along the sky in a line making their way down to the horizon.  
"That's amazing. Did you paint that?"  
"Mhmm. I don't have much else to do during the day." her voice took on a sad note as she continued. "I've never left this tower so I have all day to do whatever I wish." She stared at the nighttime mural in longing as her voice became wistful. "There's one thing I wish Mother would give me more than anything in the world."  
"What's that?" Briar Rose asked curiously staring at the girl.  
"To see those lights. Every year they appear in the night sky on my birthday and I've always had this feeling like they were connected to me somehow. Mother's never told me anything about them though. She's always told me that they were just stars, but I've done a ton of stargazing and all of these," she made a gesture with her hand to the curving-S of lights, "they only appear that one night every year."  
Briar Rose watched Rapunzel in fascination. Her face held pure longing as she stared at the mural. A thought occurred to her. "Rapunzel?"  
Snapping out of her daydream she looked at the other woman. "Yes?"  
"What if we went to see them? Together?"  
She sighed before responding, "I couldn't leave without getting Mother's permission."  
Briar Rose sighed in frustration. "You said your birthday was coming up soon right?" Rapunzel nodded. "How old are you going to be?"  
"18." she told her.  
"Then see! You're going to be an adult. Are you going to listen to your mother for the rest of your life, or are you going to take charge of it?"  
Rapunzel glanced back over at the mural and sighed. Pascal climbed onto her shoulder and squeaked. She looked over at Briar Rose and nodded, her face resolute. "You and Pascal are both right. It's time I took charge of my own life and I followed what my heart tells me to do. Let's go."  
She grabbed the frying pan back up and walked over to the doorway behind the bookcase. She started to take a step forward and then stopped herself, turning back to face Briar Rose, who was right behind her, a crestfallen look on her face. "I can't do this."  
Briar Rose and Pascal both sighed. This was going to be a long journey.  
 **~X~**  
It took a few hours of convincing and a lot of backtracking up the stairs, but eventually Briar Rose managed to get Rapunzel down to the bottom of the staircase. Rapunzel stepped out onto the grass for the first time in her life, blades of the soft green plants pushing their way between her toes.  
The shorter blonde stood there for several moments just moving and sliding her feet over the ground. “I...” she started to say before stopping. She leaned down ran her hand across the grass, feeling the blades tickle gently across her palm and wrist. “I never realized how...soft the ground would feel.”  
“Well believe me, it may be soft now, but it's not when you fall on your backside.” Briar Rose told her knowingly.  
Rapunzel laughed lightly. “Well I'm not very accident prone so I think I should be ok.”  
Pascal squeaked at this and rolled his eyes to which Rapunzel glared at him. “That was one time! Besides, Mother had moved my hair and I had just woken up.”  
Briar Rose's eyebrows rose in curiosity. “I need to hear this story.”  
Rapunzel blushed pale pink and said in a quiet voice. “I was 12 and Mother had come home early in the morning. I didn't know there was a doorway there. As far as I knew the only way in or out was through the window.” At the puzzled look Briar Rose gave her, she amended before continuing, “I would throw my hair out the window and pull my Mother up and through it. Anyway though, she came home very early that day, well before dawn, which is usually when I wake up, and she called up to me to pull her up which is what woke me to begin with. So I fumbled through it and she let me go back to sleep for a little while. When I finally did get up for the day I was still a little groggy as I'd started to get sick a few days before. I stood up from the bed and apparently Mother had moved my hair around while I was sleeping so it wasn't in her way as she moved about the tower and since I didn't know this I ended up tripping over a small bundle of my hair. I actually knocked a side table with some candles over and one of them ended up catching the curtain on fire. Mother was not very happy about that at all.”  
Briar Rose had covered her smirk with her hand but by the end had to struggle not to laugh. Pascal meanwhile was squeaking in a way that could only mean he was laughing.  
“Oh shush you.” Rapunzel told him quietly. She looked at the girl next to you. “So, anyway, on to a different subject. What about you? Why were you even wandering about in the woods?”  
“Well, you see, today is actually my birthday.” Briar Rose told her, blushing slightly.  
“Oh, happy birthday!” Rapunzel exclaimed, a smile broadening her face. “How old are you?”  
Briar Rose ducked her head to the side as she replied. “Well, I'm actually younger than you are. I'm 16.”  
Rapunzel's eyes widened slightly. “Oh. I'd have never guessed. You're so tall and elegant and beautiful.” She quickly covered her mouth, a deep blush creeping across her face. She hadn't meant to say that out loud.  
Briar Rose chuckled lightly, her own face turning red as she replied gently, “You know you're rather adorable yourself when you blush.”  
The two continued to walk in silence for several more minutes before either had the nerve to talk again.  
Briar Rose's voice rang out into the relatively empty forest. “Anyway though, I was out collecting berries, because my Godmother's asked me to. I was daydreaming and got lost in the woods when I came across your tower.”  
“Oh, I see.” Rapunzel answered her. “Do you think we should find your home before we set off to find the lights?”  
Briar Rose stopped and tilted her head to one side while she thought about it. “I suppose we should. Just so I can tell Flora, Fauna and Merryweather where I'm going so they don't worry about me.”  
“Well then, we should get going! These three, they raised you right?” Rapunzel asked, continuing before Briar Rose could even respond. “You shouldn't make them worry about you.”  
“What about you leaving without letting your Mother know?” Briar Rose counteracted.  
“I'm an adult. That's different.” Rapunzel answered straightening the loop of hair around her arm.  
Briar Rose and Pascal both rolled their eyes in unison. “Alright then, let's get going.” she told the older girl as they set back off into the woods.  
~X~  
 _Meanwhile..._  
“Huh. I wonder why there's a tower here in the middle of nowhere.” a deep voice asked no one in particular. “Oh well. Perfect place to hide for a little while. Maybe take a nap. Now if only I had a way up there...”  
Flynn tapped his hand against the side of his bag in thought as he moved around the base of the tower examining it. After he'd circled the base twice he finally noticed the doorway and proceeded up the staircase.  
~X~  
 _Also elsewhere..._  
“Diablo, come here my pet.” a silky voice called in the darkness. The raven flew to his mistresses side and landed lightly on her staff.  
Reaching up to stroke the bird, Maleficent spoke again. “It has been sixteen years. My revenge will be fulfilled by tonight. I need you to go find her. Go find the Princess Aurora.”  
The bird gave a loud caw before flying off to complete his mistresses task.


	2. Tinted Dreams

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rapunzel and Briar Rose have a meeting with Flora, Fauna and Merryweather, while Flynn catches some sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I still don't own Tangled, Sleeping Beauty or any of the characters.

The two girls walked up to the cottage. Rapunzel held in a nervous breath and asked, “So, this is where you live?”  
Briar Rose smiled gently. “Yes it is.” She nodded at the door. “Follow me.”  
The tall girl opened the doorway. “I'm home!” she called out. She looked around when no answer came and saw a beautiful dress sitting next to a large three-tiered cake.  
Flora, Fauna and Merryweather popped out from behind various hiding spots in the room, shouting “Happy birthday darling!” They stopped when they noticed Rapunzel standing partway behind their almost-daughter.  
“Oh.” Flora stated. “Who is this my dear?”  
“What have we told you about strangers!” Merryweather spoke, always quick to scold the girl.  
“Please,” Rapunzel interjected, “it was my fault, don't blame her.” She quickly covered her mouth as they looked at her. Quietly, she spoke again. “I mean, she came across my tower and I invited her up. I've never met anyone else, you see.”  
“What are you doing?” Briar Rose whispered to Rapunzel. Pascal gave her a look that said 'Just roll with it.', but of course she'd never have gotten that as she didn't know the lizard like Rapunzel did.  
Briar Rose looked back over at her godmothers. “Flora, Fauna, Merryweather.” she said calmly. “This is Rapunzel, and yes, I did come across her in a tower. She's never left it before today and as it happens, her birthday is in a few days so I promised her that we'd go to where the lights float up into the sky.”  
“Briar Rose, are you sure that's a good idea?” Fauna looked at her. “As harsh as Merryweather was, she does have a point. We've told you time and again that strangers, no matter how charming they may seem at first – no offense dear,” she looked over at Rapunzel and then back to Briar Rose, “can be highly dangerous.”  
Briar Rose sighed. “Yes Fauna, I know. And yes, I think it's an excellent idea. If we go together, then we won't be by ourselves and we can protect each other well enough.”  
The three fairies looked at each other and sighed. “Very well dear, but we think that it's time we told you something.” Flora stated.  
“Yes?” Briar Rose asked.  
“Why don't we sit down and dig into this birthday cake while we talk?” Fauna asked kindly.  
“Of course.” Briar Rose responded.  
“That would be wonderful. If you don't mind me joining of course.” Rapunzel asked, excitement and hesitation mingling in her voice.  
The three old women turned away from the girls and whispered among themselves. “I don't trust her. What if she's working for Maleficent?” Merryweather questioned.  
“You wouldn't trust a squirrel if it looked out of place. She's already here and it would be very rude to tell her to leave.” Fauna put forth to the others.  
“Fauna's right. Not everyone works for Maleficent. And besides, we only have to keep her safe until tonight. We can even go with them to make sure she stays safe.”  
“Oh, all right.” Merryweather sighed in defeat.  
The three turned back around. Flora spoke to the girls. “Before we start talking, we want you to know that we'll be accompanying you to the city. That's where the lights are released from.”  
Rapunzel's eyes shone with joy. “Thank you so much! That would be wonderful.”  
“Now, what is it you wanted to talk to me about?” Briar Rose asked as she pulled dishes from the cupboard.  
Fauna explained as they sat and the cake was cut and passed around. “Well you see dear, it all started 16 years ago to the day...”  
~X~  
Meanwhile...  
Flynn leaned out the window of the tower. “I wonder who lives here.” he mumbled to himself. The round room of the tower's keep showed obvious signs that was occupied. There were a couple of books and some food, a bed and the walls were covered in paintings. A small dresser and mirror sat to one side with a plain chair in front of it, while another, plush and comfier chair sat in front of a small fireplace.  
“Well, if they come back I'll have to make a quick escape.” Flynn walked away from the window and grabbed an apple from the kitchen. He took a bite, and walked across the room to the simple bed where his satchel lay.  
Opening it up, he checked on his treasure. A simple, yet beautiful and very expensive crown rested inside; despite being covered in multiple jewels and made of solid gold, it weighed only a few pounds. It nearly cost Flynn his life though, as he was nearly caught several times in his escape attempt.  
“It was worth it.” Flynn thought.  
A quiet cawing could be heard coming from outside as Flynn laid dozing on the bed; he paid it no mind. Why should he worry about a raven? He glanced to one side where he noticed a dresser sitting just a few feet from the doorway he himself had come through. An odd thought popped into his head. What if that dresser had been placed in front of the door? “You'd probably never even have known it was there.” he mumbled, stifling a yawn.  
Slowly Flynn drifted off to sleep, the cawing of a raven invaded his dreams. He wouldn't remember it when he woke up, but everything in his dream was tinted green...  
~X~  
The raven flew over the forest. He spotted the tower, cawing loudly as he slowly circled around to check everything out. He saw a lone male lying asleep through the large, open window. The tower would be something to report back to his mistress. At first he wasn't going to make mention of the man, but then he saw the glint of gold.  
He drifted down and landed deftly on the ledge of the window. The glint of gold was a crown, laying haphazardly next to the man, clutched in loose fingers.  
This man would definitely be reported back to Maleficent. He cawed again. It sounded much louder this time inside the room, and took off back towards his mistress' tower. As he flew off, the man turned onto his side, sliding deeper into sleep.


	3. Told Truths

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Briar Rose finds out the truth about her guardians. Elsewhere a plan is being schemed that could affect both girls.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Tangled and Sleeping Beauty belong to Disney.
> 
> Yes, I am indeed still writing for this story. No I am not in fact writing from beyond the grave. I'd probably get a lot more writing done if I was. Anyway, please enjoy.

“Well you see dear, it all started 16 years ago to the day, that we started taking care of you.” Fauna said as she passed around plates of cake.

“Yes, I know that. You've told me that many times.” Briar Rose replied.

“But we've never told you why.” Merryweather interjected.

Fauna took a deep breath and continued, “We've never told you because it was too dangerous for you to know. You are someone very important to this kingdom. You are the daughter of the King and Queen; you are Princess Aurora.”

Briar Rose's eyes widened at the revelation. “I'm...what?” She slowly set her fork down and pondered the thought. “But, why would you take care of me instead of my parents?”

Flora tilted her head to the side and smiled in the kind way she always did. “Because you were in too much danger.”

“Will you two kindly let me explain. We don't want the poor girl to get confused.” Fauna stated. “My dear, we are fairies from the woodland realm. Your parents invited us amongst the others to your presentation ceremony, where all in the land were to come to meet the heir to their throne and to pay their respects. But someone uninvited showed up. Her name is Maleficent and she was, and is, the most wicked sorceress you would ever meet. She placed a curse upon you, saying that on the eve of your sixteenth birthday you would prick your finger on a spinning wheel and fall into an eternal sleep.” Fauna paused a moment, smiling at the girl. This was a lot of information for the young girl to hear all at once.

“I was cursed as a baby?” Briar Rose sounded upset, as she had every right to. (No one wants to hear that they're to fall prey to a curse.)

“That was why your parents made the greatest sacrifice they could, and gave you up into our care.” Merryweather answered.

“Briar?” Rapunzel asked quietly. “How does all this news make you feel?”

“How does it make me feel?” Briar Rose asked incredulously. “Shock, fear, joy, anger, despair. How else should it make me feel?” she quickly stood up from the table, sending her chair flying onto the floor. “I need some air.”

Briar Rose darted out the door, leaving her guardians and her new friend sitting at the table, staring at the empty spot she had previously been occupying.

“It's okay, I'll go talk to her.” Rapunzel said, standing up from the table. “Thank you so much, for the cake, by the way. It was delicious.” Rapunzel dragged some of her hair up from the floor as she stood and pushed her chair in behind her, walking out the door to try and find her new friend.

~x~

_Elsewhere..._

A dark raven flew over a castle. It flew through one of the many open windows and landed on the staff of its mistress. It cawed loudly, giving an unknowable statement to the woman sitting next to it.

“Well, well, well. Diablo, did you find me something more useful than Aurora?” Maleficent waved her hand and a large green ring of smoke appeared before her, showing the images that Diablo had seen on his flight.

In the circle was Flynn Rider, sleeping on the bed. “Well that certainly doesn't look like a mans room, now does it, my pet?” she said, stroking the birds head.

She waved her hand again, “Show me who's room this is.” The image changed again to show Rapunzel walking through the woods.

“Briar Rose?” the girl called. “Where are you? Look, I know they lied to you, but they had the best of intentions! And I think that's what really counts.” she searched all around her, dragging her hair behind her. “Pascal, help me look!” she told the small chameleon on her shoulder.

Maleficent waved her hand once more. “And who, pray tell is in charge of you?”

The circle was dark and showed nothing for a moment. Then a small light appeared to one side and a voice asked, sarcasm dripping from the words, “And to what do I owe this wonderful honor? A visit from the one and only Maleficent?” The voice took form as a figure stepped out of the shadows. A light skinned, dark haired woman stood in a large patch of berry bushes, a basket draped over one hand.

“Why, Gothel, I had no idea I would be visiting you.” Maleficent said, surprise lacing her voice. “You're the one in charge of that pretty little blonde with the very long hair? How surprising. I never figured you for the mothering type. Not after what happened to your wolf.” She stroked the raven in her own show of maternal affection.

“What do you know of my charge?” Gothel asked, fury barely masked in her voice. She had a deep loathing for the woman and Maleficent knew very well why.

“Oh, I know that she's outside, looking for someone called Briar Rose, who has apparently just found out that someone has been lying to her.” She smirked lightly. “I also know that there is a man sleeping in the room where your charge should be. And I know that neither of those things make you very happy.”

“What is wrong with that girl? I suppose I should thank you for the information. It will never change things though.”  
“Oh, I wasn't trying to change anything. My hatred of you is just as strong as the day you cursed my dear Diablo.” she answered, placing the raven on her shoulder. The bird cawed loudly in agreement.

Gothel raised an eyebrow. “Well you deserved it.” she said quietly under her breath.

“As did you when I retaliated.” Maleficent replied. “But, I have had an idea. I need to find Princess Aurora so that my revenge on her and her family may be dealt with today before the sun sets and you need to find your own charge, since she is clearly not where she is supposed to be. So, I will send you the controlling curse you need to take over the young gentleman in her room, and in return you will use this gentleman to find Aurora for me first, and then your charge for you. After that, you may do whatever you like with him.”

“And why would I agree to that?” Gothel asked.

“Because, you know that my curses are so much better than your own.” Maleficent answered, a smug look on her face.

“Regardless of that opinion, I do accept your offer. Send it the tower where R....where my charge should be and I'll take care of the rest.”

Maleficent was about to wave the circle away, but the other woman commented. “And if your curses are so much better, why is Diablo still a bird?”

She stopped her hand and instead shook a finger. “Because no matter what form my son is, he is still my son. Unlike you, _I_ wouldn't abandon family.” she sneered, waving the irritating woman out of her sight.

She took a calming breath and looked at the raven. “It's okay, my child. Everything will be fine.” she said, stroking the pet that had once been her flesh and blood.


	4. Follow Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The story continues as plots are hatched and feelings are shared.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my gosh I've finally updated this. It's been two years and honestly I don't know how I let it go that long....Either way, I can assure you that I will be updating MUCH more often that I was previously and I hope you enjoy and continue to look forward to what's next to come.

Gothel waved the viewing circle away and turned back in the direction of Rapunzel's tower. Cursing to herself she dropped the basket she was carrying and started to run. That little girl was going to rue the day she'd been born.  
~X~  
Maleficent looked at Diablo and cooed gently. “My child, take this back to that tower. Meet the hag and then continue your search for Aurora. I don't trust her to follow through with our plan. She never could keep a promise.”  
She waved her hand over the birds leg and summoned a small vial filled with a pale purple potion tied there. Wrapped up with the bottle was a note with a few instructions.  
She kissed the birds beak and said, “Now then, fly!” Maleficent raised her staff upwards and the bird took off from his perch on her shoulder.  
~X~  
“Briar Rose!” Rapunzel called out. She called for the other girl several times before finally leaning against a tree and looking at Pascal. “Where could she have gone?”  
Pascal shrugged his shoulders. He look at her, worry on his face. He'd never seen her this upset before. There was a moment of silence and he turned his head fast. In that brief quiet he'd heard something faint.  
He lifted one leg and pointed, making hurried squeaking sounds.  
“She's that way? How do you know?” Rapunzel asked, standing back up and moving fast.  
Pascal continued to squeak explaining as best he could that he'd heard faint crying when everything else had lulled for a moment,  
“Remind me that if I ever get lost, make sure you're with the search party to find me.” she told him as a way of saying thank you.  
Eventually she heard the crying herself and after rounding a tree, found the blonde she'd quickly become fond of. She sighed with relief.  
“There you are!” Rapunzel said, walking up to the other girl. Crouching down next to her, she gently reached out her hand, debating on whether or not to touch her. She'd never had to console someone else before. She didn't even really know what the meant or what she should do. Slowly she reached across the space between them and placed a hand on Briar Rose's shoulder.  
“I...I was worried when you ran off.” Rapunzel told the other girl.  
Briar Rose looked up at her, tears running down her cheeks, her face red from crying. “Rapunzel, how could they do that to me? How could they hide who I truly was from me, for sixteen years?”  
Rapunzel bit her lip. “I don't know. I'm sure they just thought it was the best way to keep you safe.”  
“It doesn't justify what they did though! I mean, I'm a princess? I don't know the first thing about anything and they want me to be royalty?” she said, looking away.  
Rapunzel sighed. “I haven't really known you long enough to say whether it'll affect who you are. What I do know is that you are a kind, gentle person that I'm glad I met.”  
Briar Rose turned back towards Rapunzel. “Thank you. I'm glad we met too.”  
Rapunzel wiped away the tears from Briar Rose's face and smiled at her. “Now what do you say we head back to the cottage and start to get ready for our trip to the city. It's going to be exciting isn't it?”  
She nodded, grabbing her new friends hand and standing up. “Let's go.”  
They made their way back, holding hands the whole time, both girls wearing a smile on their faces.  
~X~  
Gothel approached the tower. She'd rushed to make it back here as fast as possible and once she was able to stop, her body began to feel her real age. She took a seat, struggling to catch her breath. Rapunzel was going to pay dearly for this little stunt.  
A cawing sounded overhead and looking up, she saw a small black raven slowly flying towards her. As it neared she saw the bottle attached to its leg and knew it to be Diablo. That curse really had been a piece of art. But it was only fair for what that demon had done to her first, although Maleficent would probably never admit to it.  
The bird flew close and landed, cawing at her. She reached towards the bird but it took a nip at her, clearly still upset over being made a bird.  
“Oh get over it. Maybe after all this is over we can get your mother to apologize and I'll turn you back. What do you think about that?” Gothel tilted her head and smiled. She'd never actually do it, but it was worth trying to get him to cooperate.  
Diablo squawked and finally held his leg out so she could remove the vial and the note.  
Gothel looked at the letter and snorted. It read: “Just in case you've forgotten how this spell works, have him drink it and recite the words _"folge mir*"_. You were always a little slow when it came to potion use.”  
Gothel looked at the bird and said, “She must have forgotten that I'm the one that made this spell.” Vial in hand, she turned and started toward the doorway of the tower.  
~X~  
Flynn rolled over. He thought he'd heard a noise but wasn't sure. He opened his eyes to survey the room. He sat up startled as he heard a bird caw from the tower window. It was a raven. “Just a bird.” he thought to himself. That was when he felt an arm wrap around his throat and a vile tasting liquid in his mouth. It tasted like soil, ash and stone all mixed with acid. He felt it burn all the way down his throat into his chest settling right around where his heart was. A deep voice whispered in his ear, the air tickling it as it swept past, the words flooding his brain and his entire body.  
_“Folge mir...”_  
His body went limp and his mind went blank. That voice. That was all that mattered now. Whatever words would follow, he would answer truthfully, any command given, he would execute until his dying breath.  
As his body went slack, Gothel released her arm from his neck. “Turn towards me.” she told him. He obeyed.  
“What is your name?” Gothel questioned.  
“I go by Flynn Rider, but my real name is Eugene Fitzherbert.”  
“Eugene? No wonder you use a different name. So then, _Flynn_ , how did you find this place?” she asked, taking a seat in the plush chair by the fireplace.  
“I was running from the city guard when I entered the woods. In my rush to lose them I got myself lost as I'm not really from this part of the country. I managed to come across this tower while trying to find a patch back to somewhere I know and thought it would be a good place to hide out.”  
“And was anyone here when you broke in?” she had to know if Rapunzel had left before or after he'd shown up.  
“There was no one here. I was tired so I decided to take a nap.”  
“Hmm. Well then, I guess you don't know what she looks like. Let me show you.” Gothel waved her hand, using a bit of magic to raise a circle of violet smoke. Inside was an image of Rapunzel. “I need you to go and find this girl. Once you've found her, bring her back here. I want her returned alive and quickly.”  
Flynn stood up off the bed. He nodded once at her. “Yes, my lady.” Turning, he headed down the staircase and set off in search for the blonde, green-eyed beauty.  
~X~  
Diablo watched all of this from his perch on the windowsill. He remembered his mother's words. Once he'd delivered the potion he was to start out on his own search for Aurora. As she'd predicted, the hag sent the man out searching for her own charge instead of the Princess. Eventually he'd report back to Maleficent once he'd found more information, and he'd report of this as well.  
He spied the man leaving the tower and running off into the woods. He gave a caw and flew off in the opposite direction.  
He would find her. And once she was found and her revenge fulfilled they'd work on getting his body back to normal. He'd been a bird for far too long.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Folge mir - means "Follow me"


End file.
